Reservoir Question

[erik821]

I have not had the implant surgery yet and have not spoken to a doc about this. The little saline reservoir looks different depending on the manufacturer. The AMS reservoir looks to me about the size and shape of a golf ball. Is that about right? Is one better than the other in terms of, gosh I don't know, fluid/saline capacity? comfort? reliability? And does the saline ever need to be replaced or does the same liquid just stay there forever.

Do you feel the reservoir in your body If you "try" to find it? And where is it placed exactly? Are you aware of them being in your body pretty much all the time? I work out quite a bit and have very little body fat and I'm worried that I would feel it if I was doing sit ups or that the reservoir would somehow "press" against my internal organs and would become visually noticeable and/or internally felt vs a guy with a little more padding so to speak who may not notice it as much.

Thank you for reading. Any comments appreciated.

[FMLFML85]

deleted

[MK1965]

I can’t speak about differences of reservoirs because this is my first one.
Surely, I feel my reservoir on the right of my navel and just slightly south.
Because of my RP for prostate removal, my reservoir could not be placed at standard place( specie of Retzius).
Surgeon needed to make separate incision for reservoir placement which is exactly on belt line half way between umbilicus and penis base.
Couple of other guys here had same problem with reservoir placement after prostate removal surgery.
MK

[tomas1]

reservoir.jpg (45.19 KiB) Viewed 966 times

I believe these are the reservoir options for AMS.

[stephen54]

I have not had the implant surgery yet and have not spoken to a doc about this. The little saline reservoir looks different depending on the manufacturer. The AMS reservoir looks to me about the size and shape of a golf ball. Is that about right? Is one better than the other in terms of, gosh I don't know, fluid/saline capacity? comfort? reliability? And does the saline ever need to be replaced or does the same liquid just stay there forever.

Do you feel the reservoir in your body If you "try" to find it? And where is it placed exactly? Are you aware of them being in your body pretty much all the time? I work out quite a bit and have very little body fat and I'm worried that I would feel it if I was doing sit ups or that the reservoir would somehow "press" against my internal organs and would become visually noticeable and/or internally felt vs a guy with a little more padding so to speak who may not notice it as much.

Thank you for reading. Any comments appreciated.

The reservoir placement is typically made just under the rectus musculature, abdominally. The reservoir is placed there through the same small incision which facilitates the rest of the surgical placement of the device cyliniders, valve/bulb, and tubing. There is a natural space there, a small cavity, typically, which makes the reservoir placement fairly ideal. That's where mine is placed and I'm entirely unaware of its presence.

I work out, but not fanatically. Cardio, some leg work, some oblique/abdominal stuff...have never felt anything move, protrude...nothing like that. I'm certainly not as lean as I'd like but I'm also a lot less padded than I used to be. A few times when I've been running hard for a period of time I had the thought that maybe I was feeling it a little bit. But I'm not really even convinced I was correct about that...it might have been more of a "stitch" if you know what I mean...you know, when you run hard and sometimes after a while you feel that little focal tightening spot in your abdomen and it's kind of hard to shake it.

I can't answer the AMS vs Coloplast question, certainly not about the reservoir differences, but you will find a coin flip of guys on here with either device and, I am wagering, no shortage of favorable opinions on either. There are a few guys I've noted here who, upon revision, were switched to the other manufacturer's device, so they'd be a good resource possibly since they've seen both sides.

There is no maintenance schedule, ie, no serviceability to the prosthesis in the way in which you're asking...it is, at the conclusion of surgery, a sealed system. It either works or it doesn't. These devices have a lifespan, of course, so revisions/replacements will occur. I'm only 9 weeks in with my first implant...it's absolutely ridiculously great technology and even though I've still sort of definitely got the training wheels on, it's awesome so far and only getting better. I want it to last ten years like the manufacturers and surgeons claim it can.

There are a lot of guys on this forum who have had different experiences, though, with multiple revisions for a variety of reasons over much shorter periods of time. But I don't know that this speaks to, or accurately represents the implant population overall...not sure if that's the correct conclusion to draw due to a forum like this being, by definition, a place subject so sample bias, where (arguably) a disproportionate number of users who are experiencing difficulties tend to gravitate, sometimes giving the perception that there's as many short duration problematic implants as not. I doubt that is really the case. Kind of like restaurant reviews online, you know? After having a great meal and experience, a certain # of people get online to write the favorable review. But after a not-so-great meal or experience? Seems like 10 x the people practically run to the keyboard to register their dissatisfaction.

Probably overreached here in answering your original question, but it seems like you are contemplating both the relative merits of the two manufacturers' designs as well as what will the physical impact be of any device in your body. Ask away, this place is full of the full range of experiences.

[erik821]

Thank you gentlemen. Good info. Much appreciated.

[newbie443]

I know mine is there. I had pena scrotal surgery and everything is under the bottom of my penis in my scrotum. Mine is not uncomfortable now. There is another common surgical approach that is infra pubic. That has 2 incisions above the top of the penis. The reservoir tube in that case is over the top of the pubic bone and joins the cylinder tubes that exit the top of the base of the penis and then down to the pump in the scrotum. You might ask your doctor what approach he/she uses.

There are a lot of videos of this surgery with both approaches and even a deglove approach. The reservoir goes in next to the bladder. It can go in on either side and mine is on my left side.

I would guess that you will feel it and know it is there but after you are completely healed there should be no pain or discomfort.